Ty Burrell as Phil Dunphy and Julie Bowen as Claire Dunphy on Modern FamilyCredit: MovieStillsDB
By
Aya Tsintziras
Published 23 minutes ago
Aya Tsintziras is a contributor on the Classic TV team who has worked as an entertainment writer for the past decade. Her work has been published in online publications The Things and GameRant.
Aya has been a writer since she was young and has fond memories of watching '90s horror shows like Goosebumps and Are You Afraid of the Dark? and, in her teenage years, '90s dramas like Dawson's Creek and My So-Called Life which instilled in her a lifelong love of the narrative medium of television.
While she has covered a wide range of entertainment topics in the past, from celebrities to horror movies and network dramas, she's currently focused on writing about thrillers, streaming series, and nostalgic sitcoms and dramas.
When not writing, Aya can be found reading a thriller, going for a long walk and catching up on a podcast, and spending time with friends and family.
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While there are plenty of popular 2000s sitcoms, only some are flawless from beginning to end. The decade was an interesting time for TV comedies. Rather than the warm and cozy family-focused sitcoms of the 1990s, cynical shows like Malcolm in the Middle and Curb Your Enthusiasm premiered.
Friendship stories were also explored on stand-outs like New Girl and How I Met Your Mother. However, those shows are anything but perfect. New Girl featured the random introduction of Reagan (Megan Fox) in season 5 while Zooey Deschanel was on maternity leave, and the controversial HIMYM series finale still remains upsetting to this day.
In contrast, from a sitcom about a huge family to a show starring a beloved comedic star, there are a few 2000s series that are impressive, no matter which episode is playing.
Modern Family (2009-2020)
250 Episodes
Cam and Mitchell in a scene on Modern Family
All 11 seasons of Modern Family are a masterclass in juggling a large cast of characters. From a sweet season 1 storyline about Phil Dunphy (Ty Burrell) stealing a kid's bike to Mitch (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) and Cam's (Eric Stonestreet) wedding in season 5, every family member is given compelling plotlines and fairly equal screen time.
Of course, every long-running sitcom has a few stand-out episodes that are better than others. One of the best is season 2, episode 5, "Unplugged," which finds the Dunphys attempting to stop using laptops, phones, and the TV, making for a hilarious storyline since it's such a relatable challenge.
Although Haley's (Sarah Hyland) pregnancy was met with much criticism, her character arc is still enticing and significant to the show's entire run. Through Haley, the show examines the surprising twists and turns that life can take.
The moving, beautiful Modern Family series finale also perfectly wraps up each family member's story. As Phil and Claire prepare for a new, empty nest lifestyle, their kids are excited about moving out, and it's emotional to imagine the Dunphy house being much quieter for the time being.
It's also nice knowing that Gloria (Sofía Vergara) has found happiness in a new career after years of being a housewife. While it would have been easy for the series to feel stale after over 200 episodes, its final season is as funny and heartfelt as ever.
The New Adventures Of New Christine (2006-2010)
88 Episodes
Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Christine Campbell in The New Adventures of Old Christine
While it unfortunately doesn't get as much attention as Julia Louis-Dreyfus' beloved 1990s sitcom Seinfeld, The New Adventures of Old Christine was a solid follow-up for the talented actress. Thanks to the star's perfect comedic timing and passionate, enthusiastic performance, the 2000s sitcom is never boring.
If terrible dancer Elaine Benes is widely considered Louis-Dreyfus' best role, gym owner and single mom Christine Campbell should be considered a close second (sorry, Selina Meyer). Every episode is a light-hearted yet meaningful depiction of how Christine navigates the challenges of her life, from the rude moms at her son's fancy school to her unresolved feelings for her ex-husband.
Rather than a formulaic sitcom where each episode feels the same, each season of The New Adventures of Old Christine finds Christine dating someone new. Since it's never clear if Christine will get back together with Richard (Clark Gregg) or if he'll commit to his younger partner, New Christine (Emily Rutherford), there is plenty of fun dramatic tension throughout.
There's no doubt Louis-Dreyfus is the main draw. After all, she won the 2006 Best Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Emmy for the sitcom. However, it's the side characters who make The New Adventures of Old Christine shine. Christine's wise best friend Barb (Wanda Sykes) and foolish brother Matthew (Hamish Linklater), whom she's inappropriately close to, steal every scene they're in.
The Big Bang Theory (2007-2019)
279 Episodes
Kaley Cucoo's Penny and Johnny Galecki's Leonard sit on a couch together in The Big Bang Theory
The Big Bang Theory's 12 seasons are a celebration of science, nerd culture, friendship, and love, making it difficult to pick out a truly terrible episode. The premise is simple yet brilliant: cheerful waitress Penny (Kaley Cuoco) bonds with a group of scientists when she moves in across the hall.
Every episode builds on that strong foundation. While, of course, the characters always feel warm, cozy, and familiar, as they should on an excellent sitcom, long-time viewers are rewarded by character development. By the end of The Big Bang Theory, the nerds become more confident and find love, while still embracing their quirks and individuality.
The unexpected friendship between Penny and Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) is also special since they're so different from each other. Watching her take care of him and sing "Soft Kitty" is one of the most charming and memorable parts of the show.
The Big Bang Theory also has great new additions. After joining in season 3, Bernadette Rostenkowski (Melissa Rauch) and Amy Farrah Fowler (Mayim Bialik) become major characters, and they fit in perfectly with the quirky and clever tone of the sitcom. It's hard to imagine the show without them, especially since they date Howard (Simon Helberg) and Sheldon.
Scrubs (2001-2010)
182 Episodes
Zach Braff and Donald Faison smile at each other while sitting in the cafeteria in ScrubsNBC via MovieStillsDB
The Scrubs reboot will premiere on ABC in 2026, and while some say it's a chance to fix the weak ninth and final season, every episode of the original is as meaningful as it is hilarious. The sitcom may have plenty of goofy jokes and light-hearted moments, but there are some surprisingly deep plotlines about coming to terms with death.
While the focus is on J.D. (Zach Braff) becoming a doctor, equal screen time is given to the young and older characters, from his best friend Turk (Donald Faison) to his mentor Dr. Perry Cox (John C. McGinley).
One of the most underrated parts of the show is how it examines the practice and art of mentoring from both sides. J.D.'s anxiety about doing a good job is balanced by Cox's questioning of his own abilities, especially when he loses patients in some of the best episodes of Scrubs.
Most of all, the series makes it clear that no one is flawless and everyone is on their own journey to become more kind-hearted, understanding of others, and also better at their jobs. Scrubs is far from the only sitcom to feature a cheesy lesson in each episode, but while that might be off-putting elsewhere, it's charming here because the characters are relatable.
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